Dr. Voniatis: Increase in cases of school closures if SafePass is not followed

The three-digit number of cases we have will continue and will be maintained because the virus is still circulating in high numbers, said epidemiologist Dr. Michalis Voniatis to KYPE, pointing out that the opening of schools will bring further cases to the community if the Protocols and measures are not followed properly. protection. He also notes that our vaccination coverage has not progressed satisfactorily.

With the opening of the schools, said Dr. Voniatis, we will have an increase in cases. "To what extent this will be, will depend on how well the safe pass is observed. In other countries there has even been a significant increase in cases, such as the US, which started schools at the end of August and has seen a significant increase in cases. Of course, we can not be compared to other countries because of our size. "Besides, in the USA, each State implements different measures and there is no single policy for measures and Protocols", he noted.

Therefore, he continued, we will expect an increase but I do not believe the increase will be too large, given that the Protocols and the safepass will be observed.

What we advise everyone, vaccinated and not, said Dr. Voniatis, is to observe personal protection measures. "We have seen that we can all become infected whether we are vaccinated or not. Therefore, the only way to protect ourselves and our fellow citizens is to follow the protection measures. And the reason is that the virus is still circulating in high numbers. "Three-digit numbers can not give us a sense of security."

He noted that the percentage of children who have been vaccinated is small enough to control the condition. "We have to keep vaccinating children, we have to keep the spread of the virus to a minimum and the only way is through vaccination, there is no other way right now. "By having the safepass, we provide protection and reduce to some extent the circulation of the virus, but you can see that we are still in triple digits of cases", he pointed out.

He stressed that schools must follow the measures and protocols as planned to avoid aggravation of the situation. "The fourth wave of the pandemic shows signs of good decline, but the numbers we see in cases may not decrease even more and the reason is that there is a large percentage of the population, a number that can be as many as 200 thousand people who have not been vaccinated. and in them the prevailing Delta executive will move very easily ", he added.

Asked, he said that at the moment the three-digit numbers will be maintained unless we further increase our vaccination coverage. "At least the first dose, which is an indicator of where we are going and where we are going, should exceed 90%. Several of our countries have exceeded and have more than 85% for the first dose and several have more than 90% for the second dose. This means that we should aim for this and not be satisfied with the 78% we have for the first dose. "We are far behind," he said.

Dr. Voniatis said that we have the new mutations, which are a threat but at the moment we should not worry because the situation is being monitored.

Regarding the "Mu" mutation, he said that if we have communication with the outside world, it is likely to come to us as well. "The thing is, at the moment it does not seem to have the speed that the Delta mutation has. "Therefore, the one that is transmitted quickly is the one that prevails and displaces the other mutation", he added.